Diamond wedding couple's love founded in Bradford on Avon factory

Smiling Mr and Mrs Taylor were looking forward to celebrating their diamond anniversary, and maybe welcoming their first great-grandchild, on Thursday.

Bradford on Avon has remained at the heart of Peter and Elizabeth Taylor’s 60 years of marriage after they met at the Spencer Moulton rubber company in 1952.

The couple have lived in Elmfield for the past 44 years and met when Mrs Taylor, 84, was working in accounts and Mr Taylor, 85, was a work study engineer at the factory.

Mrs Taylor, who was born and bred in Bradford on Avon, said: “Our work crossed at some point and we struck up a friendship.

“We are both quite laid back. We don’t argue a lot. Sometimes we have small disagreements, but nothing that causes any real trouble. We don’t let things get to us.”

The couple, who married at Christ Church in 1954, marked their 60th anniversary yesterday (Thursday), and will celebrate with a family gathering at Woolley Grange Hotel tomorrow.

Mr Taylor was a Bradford on Avon Town Councillor from 1976-2003, town mayor from 1991-1993, a school governor at Christ Church Primary School for 30 years and a trustee of the Old Men’s Almshouses in Bradford from 1960 to the present day.

Mr Taylor, who was born in Somerset before moving to Bath, said: “You wouldn’t be on the local authority unless you were interested in the town because you represent the town council as a whole and are actively involved in doing things.

“You meet all kinds of people in the job and I have seen so many changes, including the closure of Avon Rubber as a productive factory.”

Mrs Taylor added: “It was very sad to see that go. There are no jobs in the town, but people want to live in Bradford on Avon.”

She left Spencer Moulton, which by then had become Avon Rubber, when the couple had their first daughter, Adele, in 1955. Despite returning to work there part time, she soon moved onto Bath City Council as a senior officer, where she worked for 20 years until her retirement, aged 63.

Mr Taylor worked at Spencer Moulton for about 43 years and was a pension administrator when he retired in 1992.

Their second daughter, Diana was born in 1958. They have four grandchildren and their first great-grandchild was expected on the day of their anniversary.

Mrs Taylor said: “We do not know if it will be a boy or girl but we are very excited as it will be our first great-grandchild.”